Walkability in urban design

WALKABILITY IN URBAN DESIGN RESEARCH PAPER BY: FORSYTH AND ANN ( 2015 HARVARD UNIVERSITY )

RESEARCH PAPER REVIEW BY: Avantika Chauhan Shreyash Gupta Apoorva Prakash

Walkability In Urban Design A Research Paper Review The main objectives of this research are:

ABSTRACT: In professional, research, and public debates the term is used to refer to several quite different kinds of

This research at first aims to highligt the subsequent characterictics or notable

phenomena. Some discussions focus

features of walkable environments such as:

on environmental features or means

a. Traversable

of making walkable environments,

b. Compact

including areas being traversable,

c. Safe

compact, physically-enticing, and

Outcomes

safe. Others deal with outcomes potentially

fostered

by

such

Another aim of this r e s e a r c h is to also focus on the outcomes

environments, such as making places

walkable environments and how it affects our lives.

lively,

enhancing

sustainable

a. Making places lively or socialable

transportation options, and inducing

b. Enhancing sustainable transportation options.

exercise.

c. Inducing exercise

Hence the prime objective is to

Solutions

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Features

analyze the true meaning of walkability in urban practice.

Walkability as a proxy to urban problems and highlights the solutions which it proposes to various problems such as: a. Lack of central city vibrancy b. Traffic congestion c. Environmental injustice

d. Social isolation

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APPROACH In order to achieve the three main objectives; the research has also been divided into three subsequent parts which are: Nine key themes or dimensions have been defined through this research which are further seggregated into two categories depending upon the features and outcomes of walkability:

Features

1.

Traversability

2. Compactness 3. Safety

4. Physical Enticing

Outcomes

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The First Set Of Definitions Focuses On Features:

The Second Set Of Definitions Focuses On Outcomes Of Walkability: 1.

Lively Or Socialable

2. Sustainable Transport Options 3. Exercise Inducing Finally, walkability of is often used as a kind of proxy for better design. These proxies involve compilations of dimensions and very broad claims about outcomes.

Solutions The Two Major Conclusie Definitions For Walkability Are: 1.

Multi- Dimensional

2. Holistic Approach

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IDENTIFYING WALAKABILITY Why do we define walkability as a definition We need to analyze and compare the various literature definitions of the term walkability because:

•

Indeed, one of the motivations for this paper was a frustration that systematic reviews of the literature on

aspects of walkability often come up with a set of very mixed findings because the definitions of walkability vary among studies.

•

When practitioners, who may have yet another conceptualization of walkability, then try to apply the definitions, this review can help provide a more specific language for future comparisons and proposals.

•

Hence nine defininte themes and dimensions have been identified through this research in order to provide a definite direction to practitioners and urban designers.

Related concepts:

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findings to design and planning proposals, there are further problems. By mapping out the range of

Workable space as a concept is often misconfused with pedestrian oriented spaces but the difference here lies in the following:

•

The term pedestrian is likely to be defined in legislation while walkability is not. Pedestrians certainly walk, but many regulations define the term more broadly to include people in wheelchairs and even, in some cases, those standing and not moving

Fig 1: Image showing the approach of pedestrian

Fig 2: Image showing the true approach of

movement

walkable spaces

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IDENTIFYING WALAKABILITY Confusion over walkability A lot of confusion and doubts are often involved with the term walkability: Some of the confusion over walkability is due to the issue of purposes and motivations. Walking can be

•

done for many purposes such as transportation, exercise, and recreation.

Further, each purpose may have a different underlying motivation. For example, exercise or recreational

•

walking may be done for stress reduction, increasing fitness, losing weight, getting out of the house,

Strategies and factors: Many urban design theories implicitly assume physical features will make people want to walk. However,

•

the field of health has created a number of different theories of behavior change, many of which focus on

personal characteristics, individual behaviors, and social contexts, with the physical environment only incidental.

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meeting people, even to enjoy a beautiful place.

Hence to create “walkable” places, block and neighborhood designs are not enough in themselves but

•

cerain strategies and factors are also involved: Strategies 1.

Restricting parking

2.

Educating motorist

3.

Making driving expensive

4.

Providing support to pedestrains

Factors 1.

Income

2.

Individual prefernce

3.

Cultural values

4.

Climate

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GRID AND SUPERBLOCK The two patterns of walkability: These two patterns reflect the kind of planning and design for the walkable environmets:

•

At the larger level of the neighborhood or city, two main clusters of approaches contend for dominance in the area of physical community design

•

On the one hand is the fine-grained multifunctional street pattern seen in compact city, New Urbanist, Jane-Jacobs-inspired, mixed-use, transit-oriented approaches that cluster people and destinations close organic forms based on historic city patterns

•

On the other side are the various forms of superblocks, where vehicular traffic is kept largely to the outside, or moves through with difficulty, and pedestrians infiltrate the center.

•

It is interesting that the grid/small block and superblock approaches emphasize some similar dimension such as traffic safety, personal safety, and sociability and have both been touted as holistic solutions to

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together. This is typically in a grid or small block street pattern lined with sidewalks, but may take more

urban problems. However, their designs are quite different in how they mix people and cars and in their emphasis on green space.Overall, a walkable place is a complex and contested phenomenon.

Fig 3: image showing the characteristics

Fig 4: image showing the characteristics

of grid layout

of superblock layout

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GRID AND SUPERBLOCK

1

3

2

4

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The two patterns of walkability:

Fig 5: images showing the grid and superblock layout where 1 and 2 represents grid and 3 and 4 represents superblock pattern 1.

With traditional footpath/sidewalk: Washington, DC, USA,

2.

With shared street: Chiba, Japan

3.

Low-density version: Stockholm, Sweden

4.

High density version: Hong Kong

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THE 9 THEMES The first set of definitions focusing on features: Traversability:

•

Traversable environments have the basic physical conditions to allow people to get from one place to another without major impediments, for example, relatively smooth paths.

•

Walkability in this sense is about the very basic physical infrastructure to get from one place to

Fig 6: The traversbility factor

Fig 7: The compactness factor

Compactness: •

Compact places provide short distances to destinations for those who are walking for utility.

•

A related but slightly different definition of a place being walkable is that destinations are close enough

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another—is there a continuous path with some reasonable surface and no major hazards

to get to in a reasonable time on foot. Thus the compact place—with a high density or proximity of destinations and people—is a walkable place •

More popular discussions also feature the issue of proximity. For example, an Irish Times article on “Making urban areas more walkable is a step towards fitness” paraphrases the words of a planner: “One of the major reasons for this [lack of walking and cycling], he says, is because of the poor design of pedestrian routes and the distances people have to travel to get to basic amenities such as schools, parks, shops, bus stops and work” .

Physical enticing: Physically-enticing environments have full pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks or paths, marked pedestrian crossings, appropriate lighting and street furniture, useful signage, and street trees. They may also include interesting architecture, pleasant views, and abundant services attractive to those who have other choices for getting around and getting exercise.

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The second set of definitions focusing on features: Safety:

•

Several different dimensions are key to places being safe for walking--perceived and actual crime and perceived and actual traffic safety. Both are about potential harm to the person.

•

While safety is intimately related to other features of the walkable environment, it deserves a section of its own because the lack of safety is a key barrier to walking.

•

Street design: Sidewalks and safe crossings are essential to walkability. Appropriate automobile speeds, trees, and other features also help.

Safety from crime and crashes: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are streets well-lit?”

Concept Of Complete Streets:

•

Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all

WALKABILITY IN URBAN DESGN

•

users. People of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across streets in a community, regardless of how they are traveling. Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work. They allow buses to run on time and make it safe for people to walk to and from train stations” .

Fig 8: The safety factor

Fig 8: The complete street factor

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lively and socialable:

•

A walkable environment is often attractive because it is lively and sociable--pleasant, clean, and full of interesting people. Such definitions are much used in relation to shopping areas and mixed-use

neighborhoods.

•

Walking for socializing or just to be out and about in a lively environment near other people has a long history —for example, window shopping or promenading.

•

•

In other cases, walkability is seen as a way to achieve both the environmental preservation and social equity components of sustainable urban form providing sustainable transportation options. This both saves energy and provides opportunities for those who can’t use cars because of age, income, or disability.

•

“Walkable communities offer more transportation choices, higher levels of social interaction, greater opportunities for physical activity, and reduced emissions from automobile travel.”

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sustainable transportation options:

Fig 10: The sustainable transport options

Exercise inducing:

•

Many search for an exercise-inducing environment with features that lead to higher than average levels of walking either in total or for transportation or exercise.

•

. In this work, the term walking may be used interchangeably with the term physical activity. However, physical activity is obviously broader, including work-related tasks, recreation and sports, household work, cycling, moving around in buildings, and the like.

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THE FINAL APPROACH Conclusively the two final definitions proposed here are: Multi dimensional and measurable:

•

“walkability is” focus on it being multidimensional and state that those dimensions are measurable individually or combined into an index or indicator. Measuring walkability has become a thriving industry among researchers, practitioners, and the wider public.

•

“Walkability is a quantitative and qualitative measurement of how inviting or un-inviting an area is to pedestrians” including sidewalk presence and maintenance, universal access, directness and connectivity, safety (at grade crossings, traffic, buffering), land use, landscaping, aesthetics, and security (perceived and actual crime).

Holistic approach:

•

Finally, walkability can be a proxy for better environments that generate investment, are more sustainable (in economic and social terms as well as environmental), and that are generally good places

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•

to be.

•

“Walkability is the cornerstone and key to an urban area's efficient ground transportation. Walkable communities put urban environments back on a scale for sustainability of resources (both natural and economic) and lead to more social interaction, physical fitness, diminished crime and other social problems.

Fig 11: the conclusive approach

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CASE EXAMPLES The Chongae cannal South Korea: The history of the river: Originally the Cheonggyecheon river was a place for daily chores and celebration of traditions. It served a place for social gathering that brought together the community As urbanization of the city and industrial developments progressed, the stream was full of trash and waste.

Due to overpopulation, the poor settled in the area resulting in the disease, pollution, and mistreatment of the In 1976, an elevated freeway was completed paving the way for automobile transportation. Citizens soon believed the highway symbolized the modernization of post-war Korea.

Fig 12: Image showing the very initial and earlier

Fig 13: Image showing the flyover which was

situation of the area and the cheongycheon river

constructed above the cannal

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Cheonggyecheon river. As a result, the river was covered with concrete in 1958 to prevent further degradation.

The issues faced: 1.

•

Ecosystem and livelihood Urban ecosystems suffered degradation due to industrialisation and urbanisation, which lessened the number of green spaces available for public recreation.

•

Heavy monsoons also resulted in water clogging and floods related issues in the area.

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2. Traffic movement and congestion

•

In 2003, the large amounts of cars passing through the area daily, caused serious traffic and poor air quality.

•

The pedestrian movement and safety was also not properly regulated in the area.

3. Culture and heritage

•

The developments taking place in the south side of Cheonggyecheon created an unequal balance of

•

The area was significantly loosing its cultural identity and heritage due to the lack of any cultural or heritage promoting token in the area.

The features and impacts of the project: 1) Biodiversity In addition to the place making qualities of the space, the project also provides economic and environmental

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social and economic growth

consequences. The project has allowed wind passage through the area thus decreasing air pollution by 36 percent; decreased heat island phenomenon of the area and increased local biodiversity.

2) Water levels The design was guided by the water levels from hour to hour and season to season, while addressing the catastrophic flooding that occurs during intense storms in the Monsoon season. The unique sloped and stepped stone elements allow for a reading of the various levels of water while encouraging direct public engagement with the river.

3) Culture and heritage Regional stone quarried from each of the eight areas, eight source points of water and fiber-optic light highlight this collaborative effort of reunification and restoration.

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4) Cbd area or the commercial area Today, the space encourages people to slow down and celebrate nature providing a setting for communities to

come together. It also reinvents how people use this space. In a city in dire need of public space, the ‘sunken stone garden’ provides a gathering place, for residents and visitors alike, to redefine the space in inventive ways especially during festivals and events.

5) Economic growth for market Further the presence of this major tourist attraction helps in the economic growth and buisness of seoul folk

6) Sewage an clogging

The ingenious design addresses the water quality by filtering storm water run-off through retention and purifying system before letting it enter the waterway. Sewage is directed to separate sewage purification and storage facility.

Conclusion:

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flea market.

Analysis of the project on the basis of the nine broad themes of walkability and thereby analyzing the usability of the project:

Travesability : The area is highly traversable as it offers all the basic amenities requirred for comfortable walking because it has access to rudiment free and clear pedestrian pathways.

Compactness : The region somewhat lacks the compactness factor as after the creation of the cannal the connecting highway was destroyed which is why now commuters have to spent comparatively more time in reaching their destinations as they did earlier.

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Physical enticing : The area is a very attractive location for the people and the tourist as along with providing a rich interactive space to the people it also has certain very interesting and intriguing elements such as the spring tower or candle light fountain which also increases the aesthetical factor hence making it physically enticing thereby engaging the people and improving the walkability factor.

Safety :

lights also has been completely converted into an interactive usable urban space which experiences heavy footfall on a daily basis so the area is never left isolated and unsafe.

Lively and socialable : The area is ver lively and a highly interactive space which has not only improved the living conditions of the space but has also accordingly helped in improving the economical growth and development of the region

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The safety factor has indeed been kept in mind and the area along with having been equipped with street

because of the increased tourist attraction which now it faces.

Fig 14: Image showing the night view of the canal and thereby highlights its safety and liveliness factor

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Sustainable transport option: The project on the basis of this category is also primarily ideal as people now do prefer walking over using the the vehicles and this has also helped in the overall ecological development of the city.

Exercise induscing: This is another very obvious and a very important factor because creation of this cannal has induced the fitness factor in the residents of the city and the area has a large percent of its footfall dedicated to the WALKABILITY IN URBAN DESGN

bicyclist and the joggers.

Fig 15: Image showing a view of the canal and thereby highlights it provides an alternative to the people to walk rather than using the vehicles

Therefore : Adding on a conclusive approach to the study; the region has indeed increased the walkability factor of the region where keeping aside the compactness factor, this region has completely been designed and has inculcated all the other important elements and features to make it a considerable and a substantial option for a walkable space providing the pedestrians all the requirred amenities.

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CASE EXAMPLES The Hazratganj market Lucknow: The history of the market: • The credit to make this place into a city hub goes to the first nawab of Lucknow, Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. In 1810, he identified the place on the sugegestion of Claude Martin's words and started building structures in European style. were set up near the Buddha Park. Since the nawab was fond of imported products, these markets served stuff from various countries such as China, Japan and Belgium. The foundation for the market was laid with this.

• In 1842, a major changes was done and that was the change in the name of the place. The place was named

after Nawab of Oudh, Amjad Ali Shah, who was popularly known as 'Hazrat' by his alias.

• After the Britishers took charge post the First War of Independence in 1857, Hazratganj was modelled after London's Queen Street. The hotels, bars, theatres, cinemas and dancing room all started to come up at that

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• Gradually, in 1827, the then Nawab Nasiruddin Haider introduced the China Bazaar and Kaptaan Bazaar, which

time only.

The issues faced: • Disposal of Waste on the Street of Hazratganj.

• Encroachment on footpath by vendors and illegal parking.

• Traffic jam during peak hours because of rules not are followed and point of congestion formed by intersection of primary and secondary road.

• The illegal parking on the both sides of the Janpath market street.This also becomes the point of congestion and results into the traffic jams. In the day time only two wheelers and pedestrians can only pass from this street. No movement of 4 wheelers is possible at the day time.

• Street Light falls on because of poor Maintenance.

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The features of the redevelopment project: • In 2010, to celebrate 200 years of Hazratganj, the then government, started a programme for the makeover of the area.

• The original makeover plan designed by country’s noted architect Nasir Munjee several years ago worked as the base for the final plan that entailed an expense of Rs 30 crore.

• Hoardings from rooftops and encroachments on the road were removed.

• Buildings were painted in a uniform crème and pink, same size and colour signages, stone pavements and the Victorian style balustrades, lamp posts, waste-bins, benches, an open air tiny amphitheatre and colourful • About 100 years old Fire Station was demolished and shifted to new place so as to build modern multi-level parking which aims at solving parking problem

Fig 16: Image showing a view of the previous

Fig 17: Image showing a view of the improved

condition of the area

condition of the area

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fountains were constructed.

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Conclusion: Analysis of the project on the basis of the nine broad themes of walkability and thereby analyzing the usability of the project: Travesability : The area is on the basis of traversability stands ideal as it offers the basic condition requirred for walking.

Compactness : The region somewhat lacks the compactness factor as a major solution to the traffic congestion in the area was

to make the convert major supassing road to a one way traffic access and hence acts as a major drwaback Physical enticing : • The area although is an interactive space but slightly because of the congestion and choas which is very often experienced by the area and also the lack of proper maintenance by the authorities has somewhat affected its physically appealing factor despite of it being equipped with the necessary appealing features which can is reflected through the following factors: • The areas near the food joints like (Marksman, royal cafe, the experiment, sahu cinemas etc) are becoming a dump yards .Dustbins cannot be easily identified and if found then these dustbins are mostly full. No time to

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because the commuters devote more time to get back to their previous destination.

time maintenance is done by the authorities of the dustbins.

• The color of the lamp post, waste bins, benches, balustrades is not matching the heritage looks. These lamp post and waste bins are not being maintained by the authorities.And the condition of the lamp post and fountains are very poor and are even not working.

• The uniform creme and pink color theme is also not followed by shop owners. There is now no regular theme being followed .Theme designed in 2010 for the black and white signage are also not being followed by the different shop owners.

Fig 18: Image showing a view of the degraded

Fig 19: Image showing a view of the

conditions and improper garbage disposal

shop not following the theme of

issues still prevailing the area

the design

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Conclusion: Analysis of the project on the basis of the nine broad themes of walkability and thereby analyzing the usability of the project: Safety : The safety factor has indeed been kept in mind and the area along with having been equipped with street lights also has been completely converted into an interactive usable urban space which experiences heavy footfall on a daily basis so the area is never left isolated and unsafe.

However the pedestrian movement is most often hindered by the unauthorized two wheeler parking on the Lively and socialable : The area is indeed lively and interactive as people not only during the day but also at night visit here in their

leisure time to explore the rich heritage and culture of the city reflected in the traditional shops and cuisines served.

Sustainable transport option: Despite of the redevelopment project the area has scope for improvement in traffic management: • There are certain nodes which are becoming the point of congestion because of its neighbouring land use

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footpaths which increases the congestion nodes in the area.

or streets around it. These nodes are becoming source and reason for the traffic jams.

• The Traffic jams occurs mostly in the office time. i.e. (in morning from 9:30 to 11:00 and in evening from 17:00 to 20:00) . There is no sufficient amount of persons for traffic management and traffic regulation.

• Parkings by the private persons are mostly full and a high amount of money is charged from the individual

.The multilevel parking and the parking by the government authority is not being used frequently by the individuals because of the poor maintenance.

Exercise induscing: This factor also seems to be missing in the area as the degraded conditions and lack of maintenance has been responsible for not being able to inculcate that desire to walk in a large proportion of users and the people eventually tend to prefer vehicles over walking and exploring the area

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Fig 20: image showing a view of the traffic congestion faced by the area

Fig 21: image showing how two wheelers are parked on the footpaths thereby hindering pedestrain movement Therefore : The redevelopment project which aimd at improving the overall urban factor of the area has not been so sincerely successful in achieving it and hence it is the reason why the walkability factor of the area is good but poses certain objections and issues which have to be tackled further.

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